[Canada Wide] 2024 Rural Communities Grant (due Aug 31, 2024)

The UFA Agricultural Community Foundation is pleased to present the 2024 Rural Communities Grant, formerly offered by the Rural Communities Foundation, which will award up to $100,000.

Communities are encouraged to apply for a minimum of $10,000, up to a total of $100,000 for projects that support recreational, educational and cultural facilities and programs. Applications will be accepted from June 14 until August 31, 2024, with the recipients announced in October 2024.

The UFA Agricultural Community Foundation’s Rural Communities Grant support projects that:

• Align with one of the three funding categories of Recreational, Educational Events and Activities, or Cultural Facilities and Programs;
• Enrich the rural life of agricultural, farming and ranching community members who live within 200 km of a UFA location;
• Represent a capital project that will be completed within two years;
• Are planned to be available and accessible for community use;
• Have a demonstrated need and show positive impact within the community; and
• Do not duplicate existing services.

Applications must be completed in full to be considered for a grant. Grant recipients must provide the opportunity for recognition and permanent signage of UFA ACF to be placed at or near the project.

Funding cannot be used for the following:

• Program operating expenses
• Ongoing program delivery
• Hosting annual events/conferences
• Advertising or marketing costs
• Travel, accommodations and/or meal expenses
• Fundraising activities or salaries
• Debt retirement
• Emergency funding

Eligible organizations operating within 200 km of a UFA location, including:

• Federal charitable organizations registered with Canada Revenue Agency (must have valid registration number);
• Non-profit entities formed under the Alberta Society Act, The Non-profit Corporations Act, Saskatchewan, Societies Act, BC or similar legislation;
• Canadian-based non-profit organizations partnered with a Canadian municipal government that will accept the grant on the applicant’s behalf; or
• Community service-oriented co-operative formed under the Cooperatives Act (Alberta) or similar.

Groups ineligible for funding include:

• Religious or politically affiliated organizations
• Those that do not inclusively benefit members of their community
• Those promoting projects that will have adverse environmental impacts, to be determined by ACF in its sole discretion